Traction-engine



(No Model.) 4 Sheet's-Sheet 1. A. O. FRIOK.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 258,401. Patented May 23, 1882.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Fhowulhognpher, Washingicn, D. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. 0'. PRIOK.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 258,401. Patented May 23,1882.

WITNESSES: ILNVENTOR:

L/O a I I ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 3 A. 0 FRI'OK. TRACTION ENGINE. No.'258,401.Patented May 23, 1882.

A 5], T 19.4 i I I 0 u l I wmmssns: INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. O. FRIGK.

TRACTION ENGINE.

N0.-258,401. Patented May 23, 1882.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Phoko'Lilhngmpher. Washington. D, C

UNTTnn STATES PATENT @rricn.

ABRAHAM O. FRIGK, OF WAYNESBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

/ TRACTION-ENGINE.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,401, dated May 23,1882,

Application filed March 7, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM O.Fn1ox, of VVaynesborough, in the countyot'Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and ImprovedTraction-Engine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadtothcaccoinpanyingdrawings,forming part of this specification, in whichFigure I is a side elevation of the rear portion of my traction-engine,the positions of the traction wheels and gears being shown in dottedlines. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the line 00 m ofFig. 1, the traction wheels and gears being in proper position. Fig. 3is a side view in detail, showing the means for connecting thecounter-shaft to its driving-gear. Fig. A is an enlarged detail, partlyin section, of the tug-spring and its connections, as shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a side view, and Fig.6 a section, of a modified means forconnecting the counter-shaft to its drivinggear. Fig. 7 is a sectionalview, showing a further modification of the same. Fig. 8 is a diagramview, showing the variation in the position of the gear-wheels underdifferent conditions of movement of the axle.

Myinventionrelatestoanimprovedconstruction of traction-engine, designedto overcome the difficulties which attend the use of this class ofinventions upon uneven earth roads. In this class of engines, which aredriven by toothed wheels, it is ofcourse necessary to have all the gearsbetween the engine and traction or running wheels in firm contact. 011the other hand, the interposition of springs between the axle and theload is also desirable to accommodate the engine to obstructionssuch asstones, &c.-in the road, and relieve the gear-teeth of the shocks whichsuch obstructions would involve; but as the interposition of springs torelieve vertical jolts would involve from vibration at times a change inthe distance between the axis of the tractionwheels and the axis of thegear-wheels, the other objection of disconnecting the gears is met with.

The object of my invention'is to provide such a construction as willreconcile the use of these apparently antagonistic features, so as tosecure the following results: first, perfect freedom to vibratevertically without separating the gears and without involvingdestructive strains on the teeth as produced by said vertical jolts;secondly, an elastic rotary strain from the engine, so that it thewheels meet an obstruction and stop the rotary strain of the gears ofthe engine is not allowed to strip or strain the teeth; thirdly, toprovide means for accommodating the gears to the movement incident tolateral swaying or the elevation of one side of the engine, therebyavoiding the straining or jamming the gears; and, fourthly, to provide asimple and effective meansfor imparting an elastic rotary strain fromthe engine to the traction-wheels for going either forward or backward,all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, Fig. l, A represents the boiler; B, thesupporting-sills; O, the enginecylinder D,the engine-bed carrying thecrank shaft E, and F side plates that are attached to and support therear saddle portion of the engine-bed. (See Fig. 2.) In the patentgranted me July 5, 1881, No. 243,881, I described and claimed thecylinder 0, bed D, crankshaft E, and side plat'es,F,all rigidlyconnectedto each other and to the axleindependently ot' the boiler, so that theboiler was relieved of strains-first, the strain or thrust between thecrank-shaft and the cylinder by the bedD tying these two parts together,and, secondly, of the strain between the crankshaft and the axle, whichstrain is taken up by the side plates, F, which latter also carry theweight of the superposed part. These features I have preserved in mypresent invention, having adapted them to furtherimprovements, which Iwill now proceed to describe.

G is the axle upon which are disposed the running or traction wheels HH,one of which, H, is loose on the axle, and the other of which is rigidor tight upon said axle. I is the counter-shaft, arranged above the axleand in parallel position between it and the crank-shaft E. Now, insteadof fixing the axle G rigidly to the side plates, as in my patentreferred to, I slot both of the side plates, F F, vertically near theaxle, (see Fig. 1,) and to the edges of said slots I bolt the marginalguide-frames a' a. Thesemarginal guide-frames are provided with lugs orhousings b, Fig. 2, and about the ICO axle and moving vertical] yin theguide-frames a are arranged boxes J J. Between these boxes and the lugsor housings b of the marginal frames to are placed spiral or other formof springs P I,,which press indirectly upon the axle at their bottomends, and at their top ends carry through the lugs 1), side plates,F F,and sills B B, the entire weight of the engine, and render thetraction-wheels and their axle vertically movable as regards the rest ofthe engine, with an elastic support between them and the engine.

K L M, Fig. 2,is a compensating-genr,whieh is designed to permitindependent move ment in the two traction-wheels, so as to allow one ofthe traction-wheels to remain at rest,or approximately so, while theother one is turning a curve. This is not a new feature in itself; butas it has a relation to the other parts of my invention it is necessaryto describe it. It consists of a gear-wheel, K, loose on the axle andprovided with two or more beveI-pinions, 0, set upon axes lying withinthe plane of the wheel, and two larger bevel-gears, L and M, one ofwhich,L, is keyed tightly on the axle G and rotates traction-wheel H,and the other of which, M, is loose on the axle and is rigidly bolted tothe adjacent tlitGtlOll-WllBcl, H,which also revolves looselyon the axleand is turned by said bevel-gcar M. Now, for going straight ahead therotation of wheel Kthrough its pinions 0 c locks L and M together, androtating them equallyalso rotates equally the axle G and wheel H on theone hand, and the wheel H on the other. If, however, H is stationary andH turning, the rotation of K then causes its pinions c to traverse wheelL, and imparts an accelerated rotation to M and H. 0n the other hand,it' II is stationary and H turning, the pinion c traverses M and impartsan accelerated rotation to L, and through axle G to wheel E. Thiscompensating-gear dispenses with the necessity of two trains of gearleading from the engine to the two traction-wheels.

I will now proceed to describe the means for preserving the continuousengagement of the driving-gears under the varying conditions of travelover uneven roads.

The side plates, F F, are connected by a transverse brace, N,justbeneath the countershaft,which brace at the end next to thecompensating'gcar is extended through the side plate in the form of avertical guide-frame, t1, and the counter-shaft at this point, insteadof being held in fixed bearings, is carried by a box, e, that slidesvertically in said guide-frame, giving to said counter-shaft at this enda radial or sidewise movement in vertical direction. This countershat'tis provided outside of the box with a rigidly-keyed pinion, f, which isalways in gear with the toothed wheel K of the compensating-gear whenthe engine is in working condition. To hold this pinion always in gearwith wheel K its axis is kept always the same distance from the axis ofthe wheel K by means of one or more links or bars,

0, which is loosely jointed at the top to the box of the counter-shaftand at the bottom to the box of the main axle, so that when the axlerises against the tension of the spring P at this end, the link 0 forcesup counter-shaft I, and the pinionf with it, preserving by the verticalsidewise movement of counter-shaft I a practically uniform distancebetween the center of pinion f and the center of wheel K. As the axleand counter-shaft at the other end are not connected by gears and arenot required to be rigidly fastened together, the axle is free to moveup and down at this end, as circumstances may require. I

At the end of the brace N opposite the gears fK there is formed a fixedbearing, g, in which revolves the hollow hub h of a gearwheel, Q, thatengages with and derives motion from pinion Ron the crankshaft E. Now,to transmit an elastic rotary strain from the engine to thetraction-wheels, I connect the gearwlieel Q to the counter-shaft I inthe following manner: On the gear-wheel Q, (See Figs. 3 and 4,) I formlugsj, and the countershaft I is extended through a loose rockingbearing in the center of wheel Q, and upon the outside is provided withdouble-crank arms S S, or in the place of the same a wheel, which armsupon each side of the center have a corresponding connection with thewheel Q. As both these connections are exactly alike, it will besufiicientto describe oneofthem. Thus on the end of each arm is formed ahollow lug, i, and upon the wheel a correspondinghollow lug,j. Zetweenthese two lugs is arranged a tug-spring, T, consisting of a coil-spring,k, (see Fig. 4,) and two longitudinal stirrups or loops, land in. Theseloops are bent in the middle and pass in planes at right angles to eachother around the bolts a and 0, fixed rcspectivcly in the lugs i and j,and the ends of said loops then pass centrally through the spring 70,and terminate, the loop min the feet or abutments m m, and the loop 1 infeet or abutments t Z, which feet or abutments I bear against spring kat one end, while m bear against the spring k at the other, so thatwhenever the wheel Q is strained in the direction of the t'ull-linedarrows to drive the engine ahead, the parts at and I then act as feet tocompress the spring is, and said strain is transmitted through arms S tocountershaft I as an elastic rotary strain.

In constructing the lugs 13 and 7' it will be seen that they have theirfaces next to the feet I m rounded or hollowed out, and the holesthrough these lugs pass all the way through, so that if it is desired toback the engine and the strain is reversed, as indicated by the dot tedarrows, then the lugs i andj bear against the parts l and m asabutments, and the spring k is compressed to produce an elastic strainin the reverse direction. It is necessary, however, with this l'orm oftug attachments, that the lugs t' andj should be open at their outerends, or else long enough to allow the bend of loops Z and m to moveoutwardly from the bolts n and 0 in their backing movement. The objectin making the faces of lugs i andj concave next to the abutments m and Zis to permit the surfaces to turn slightly over each other, somewhatafter the manner of a balland-socketjoint. It will be seen from theforegoing description that a single spring, 7:, and a single set ofconnections are made to work equally with a rotary elastic strain formoving either forward or backward.

In defining this feature of my invention I would state thatI am awarethat springs have heretofore been interposed between parts of the gearof atraction-engine to impart a rotary elastic strain, and I do notclaim this broadly.

I am also aware that the tug-spring T is not new in itself, and Itherefore only claim it in combination with the draft-bolts n and 0 andthe hollow abutting lugs '5 and j.

I have described the holein wheel Q, through which counter-shaftIprotrudes, as aloose rocking hearing. The object of this is to permitthe other end of shaftl to vibrate radially and still be connected withwheel Q for rotary movement. This rocking connection may be made in anumber of different ways. Thus in Fig. 2 the bearing in wheel Q may besimply enlarged or tapered at each side, or a balljoint, 1, may be used,as in Fig. 6. This radial movement of shaft I may also be preservedwithout the use of springs fora rotary elastic strain. Thus, as shown inFig. 5, links may be used instead of springs; or, as shown in Fig. 7,the end of shaft I may have arocking head, 19, which is angular incross-section and curved on its longitudinal surfaces, which head rocksingn angular hole in the wheel Q, so that whilefit rotates rigidly withthe wheel Q it allows theshaft I to have radial play.

I will now proceed to describe the means for accommodating the gear tothe sidewise pitching of the engine as induced by an inclination of theaxle to the horizontal.

Referring to diagram Fig.8, G represents the niainaxle; I, thecounter-shaft; K,the gearwheel on the axle; f, the pinion on thecountershaft; Q, the gear-wheel on the counter-shaft; S, the doublecranks, rigidly fixed to the counter-shaft and connected flexibly towheel Q; and O, the connecting-link for shaft I and axle G. Now, as theaxle G and shaft I are constant and invariable axes of wheelsf and K, achange in the position of these shafts, even when connected by link 0,involves the throwing of the wheel K and finto differentplanes, whichdifficulty is further exaggerated by the fact that G and I vibrate asradii of different length. Thus, ifthe right-hand side of the engine iselevated, the plane of wheel K goes into the line 2 2 and the plane offgoes into the line 7 7, which lines 2 2 and 7 7 are out of alignment. Ifthe left-hand side of the engine is raised, the wheel K goes into theplane 3 3 and the pinion f has a reverse inclination to the line 7 7, asshown at 8 8. To remedy this matter I make the counter-shaft Ilongitudinally adjustable, so as to slide freely in the direction ofitslength, and the gears K andf, I connect together by such mesh or form ofteeth as will make one to follow the other in its lateral movement. Thusin Fig. 2 the projecting teeth in K enter notches or indented teeth inf. The result'ot' this is that when axle G occupies position 1 1, Fig.8, its wheel, K, moving to 2 2, drags pinionfto 5 5, pushing shaft Iendwise and preserving the coincidence of the plane of the two wheels Kandf, and when axle Gr moves to 4 4, wheel K, moving to 3 3, dragspinion f to 6 6, pulling the shalt I endwise and preserving thecoincidence of the planes of the two wheels. The connection betweenshaft I and the gear-wheel Q, it will be seen, is a loose connection,such as to permit the double adjustment of shaftl both radially andlongitudinally.

Instead of making the counter-shaft to slide longittulinnlly to securethe result just described, either the pinion f or the gear-Wheel K mayhave its teeth made wide enough to slide across each other withoutdisconnection of the gears.

Instead of forming the side plates, F, with slots and then insertingmarginal guide-frames a and b, I may cast or otherwise form these sideconnections with the proper guide-slots in them for the axle and shaftI.

An advantage belonging tothe connection of the counter-shaft hearing Iat one end to link 0 may be seen in the fact that whenever it isdesirable to transport the engine by means of horses the pin connectinglink 0 and the bearing of thecounter shaft maybe withdrawn and this endof the counter-shaft raised out of gear and held up by a pin or chain, 0Fig. 1, so that the draft of the engine by the team will not necessitatethe turning of all the gears, which not only lightens said draft, butprevents wearing out the gears.

In relation to the movementof the countershaft sidewise, I would statethat I am aware that said counter-shaft, the crank-shaft, and the axlehave been made vertically adjustable together at right angles to theiraxes, and with an equal movement at each end, as in English Patent No.120, 1850. This involves a variation in the throw of the piston-rod, andI do not claim such arrangement. that motion has been transmitted to theaxle of a traction-engine by acounter-shaft having a universal joint init and located on the same level with the axle. The location of thecountor-shaft above the axle and their connection by a link at one endonly is therefore an important element of novelty in this part of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Theengine-cylinder, crank shaft, and slotted side plates, all connectedtogether for transmitting the strain to the axle independ- I am alsoaware ently of the boiler, in combination with the axle, springssupporting the weight of the engine, a radially-movable counter-shafthaving one end extended through and made vertically movable in a slot inthe side plate, and a link connecting the counter-shaft at this end tothe axle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the axle, the countershaft, and the driving-gear,the axle being con ueeted at one end to the counter-shaft by a link, andthe counter-shaft having at its other end a loosejointed or tlexibleconnection with its driving-gear, substantially as shown and described.

The gear-wheel Q, mounted in fixed bearings and having a hollow hub, incombination with the counter-shaft arranged concentrically therein, andconnected to said gear-wheel for a loose or flexible movement,substantially as described.

4. The deflectible counter shaft I, with its gear-wheels, arranged abovethe main axle, and combined with the crank-shalt and its drivinggear,the axle and its driving-gear, the supporting-s )rings for the engine,and a link for connecting the axle and counter-shaft at one end only, asand for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the axle of a traction-engine having agearwheel thereon,of the longitudinally-adjustable counter-shaft I,having a gear-wheel, substantially as described, arranged to mesh withthe wheel on the axle, and to follow the same in its lateral variations.

6. The combination, with the axle having compensatinggear K L M 0,arranged, as described, to transmit rotary strain to either or both ofthe tractionwheels, of springs for sustaining the weight of the engine,a horizontal counter-shaft having one end only made ver t-ically movablefor a radial adjustment, and a link connecting the bearin g of the axleat one end to the bearing of the counter-shaft, from which motion isimparted to the compensatinggear, as described.

7. The deflectible and longitudinally-movable eonnter-shat't I, arrangedabove and combined with the axle and supporting-springs by wheels and alink at one end only, and connected to the driving mechanism,substantially as described.

8. The side plates, I slotted at one side and combined with its brace N,having marginal guide (I at that side and a bearing at the other, andthe counter-shaft having a movable box, 0, playing in said guide, as setforth.

9. The tug-spring T, composed of a single spring, k, and loops orstirrups l m, with feet 1 m, in combination with the draft-bolts n and0, and the hollow abutment-lugs i and j, whereby the same spring is madeto furnish a rotary elastic strain in either forward or backwardmovement, as described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ABE AHAM O. FRIOK.

Witnesses:

EDWD. BYRN, CHAS. A. Pnr'rrr.

